The UC Irvine Women’s Tennis team (0-2) no longer faced Caltech at Anteater Tennis Stadium on Jan. 31.
UCI, coming off a Big West tournament quarterfinal appearance in the 2024 season, has started slow in the 2025 season.
In October 2024, one ‘Eater qualified for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southwest Regional Round of 64, but fell in the first round of the doubles competition.
The Anteaters kicked off their dual season on Jan. 18 as they faced No. 17 University of Southern California of the Big Ten in Los Angeles, where Irvine fell 4-0. The doubles point was dropped, as well as single competitions featuring senior Kayla Meraz, junior Carolyna Fowler and sophomore Bella Pitchford.
The Anteaters played their first home match of the season on Jan. 25, when they fell to the University of Idaho of the Big Sky 5-2. Meraz and junior Haily Huynh won their single competitions for UCI — the other single points and doubles point went the way of Idaho.
UC Irvine’s contest against Caltech was to be the second dual of a four-dual homestand — the final for the Anteaters in January and an opportunity to pick up their first victory of the season against a Division III opponent.
It is unknown why the match was canceled. However, two Men’s and one Women’s Basketball game had to be rescheduled for Caltech, and a Women’s Water Polo match against UC Irvine’s club team was also canceled.
“Amid a fluid situation regarding student-athlete safety, air quality and other concerns, Caltech Athletics announces the following schedule changes,” a press release stated.
Caltech will now open their Women’s Tennis season in an exhibition at California State University, Northridge on Feb. 8. As for the Anteaters, they will get a week off until they take on Santa Clara University (3-0) at Anteater Tennis Stadium on Feb. 8.
The consolation to the cancellation of the match against Caltech is on Feb. 14 against Monmouth University at Anteater Tennis Stadium.
Monmouth is an upgrade on the schedule, as it is a Division I team of the Coastal Athletic Association. Despite that, they posted a 3-15 record last season with a 0-5 record in conference — being outscored 2-30 during their five conference duals.
This season, Monmouth has already won the same amount of duals as they had last season, without having played a dual in the spring yet.
Jack Fedor is a Sports Editor. He can be reached at jfedor@uci.edu.
Edited by Benjamin Flores